UKIE concerned over DEA review

Video games trade body UKIE has expressed its concern about the government’s decision to re-evaluate the potential website blocking powers that would be granted to ISPs as part of the Digital Economy Act.

Yesterday Westminster announced that it has asked Ofcom to consider the viability of the proposals. Specifically, it wants to know how easy it is to implement such blocks, how robust the measures would be and how much such action would cost ISPs.

"I have no problem with the principle of blocking access to websites used exclusively for facilitating illegal downloading of content," culture secretary Jeremy Hunt told the BBC. "But it is not clear whether the site blocking provisions in the Act could work in practice so I have asked Ofcom to address this question."

UKIE director general Michael Rawlinson is disappointed by the news.

”UKIE was concerned to learn that the Government has asked Ofcom to review section 17 and 18 of the Digital Economy Act, which would allow the blocking of websites dedicated to copyright infringement, subject to secondary legislation introduced by the Secretary of State," he stated.

UKIE supports the Digital Economy Act and the measures contained within it that are designed to help the industry tackle intellectual property theft.

"At a time when Government and industry need to work together to ensure the Act is a success, UKIE urges the Government to recognise that the proposed measures to prevent access to illegal websites are an important tool that will help to protect British businesses from online copyright infringement now and in the future.”

UKIE will be responding to Ofcom’s review to ensure that the interactive entertainment’s position is made clear.”